A hypothetical question for all the transmen here...

[Lukas-H]

I was just thinking about children and such, and then I thought about the transmen here on susan's.

Obviously a lot of you have dysphoria with regards to your female body parts, usually the breasts and reproductive system as a whole.

What if, hypothetically, there was some sort of widespread world disaster and you were one of the few or the only individual left alive that could carry a child, would you?

Let's say for the sake of discussion that this would all occur from in-vitro fertilization so you don't technically need your ovaries, it wouldn't even be a child bearing your genes, you would just be the vessel for it's growth.

Would you do it?

I'm not a trans-guy, but I'm going to answer my own question and say that I'm not sure even I could do it. The thought of becoming pregnant and carrying a child scares the crap out of me and makes me nauseous not to mention the dysphoria issues I have with my body.

[Elwood]

My Gods.

You know, I'm not sure if the survival of the human race is that important to me.

I personally don't think I could do it. They could impregnate me, but as soon as I started swelling and my breasts lactating and all of that... my body thriving with estrogen, I'd probably become pretty suicidal. I just don't think I could handle that. Some transguys might have the "balls" to do it, but I'm not one of them. I'm no Tom Beatie. I have no idea how that guy managed.

[Nero]

In that situation, I might THINK about donating eggs but I'm not ->-bleeped-<-ting anybody out. So I guess if I were the last of the tribe, I'd indeed be the LAST of the tribe.

[iFindMeHere]

I *Have* a child. Pregnancy was full of wrong. Never Again.

[Ciarquin]

Nope, no way. Just thinking about pregnancy makes me sick.

I have no desire at all to have a children, so I wouldn't do it if it didn't involve pregnancy either.

[Mister]

My lack of desire to reproduce has little to do with my gender identity and more to do with my faulty genes.  But if we wanted to be a half blind, half crippled species with the genetic makeup for breast cancer, high blood pressure and diabetes...    maybe.  If my reproductive system magically came back, of course.

Upon second reading, I'm not sure how this genetic makeup would seriously differ from most of the world at present time, however.

[Dennis]

Nope, don't think I could do it.

Dennis

[Lukas-H]

You know, I'm not sure if the survival of the human race is that important to me.

That's how I feel. Some would call me selfish, and even though I don't identify as male (sometimes I wish I could however) but regardless of that, I could not bear a child, ever, and if the survival of the human race or perhaps the human race on the continent of north america were limited to me; we'd just die out.

Also I didn't quote it but your question about Tom Beatie, I have no idea how he managed either, its beyond my comprehension

[Elwood]

In that situation, I might THINK about donating eggs but I'm not ->-bleeped-<-ting anybody out. So I guess if I were the last of the tribe, I'd indeed be the LAST of the tribe.

I wanted to donate my eggs, but guess what? They have to be ripe to be eligible for donation. I'd have to take extra estrogen.

I'm still trying to see if I can donate my ovaries, though.

[Lukas-H]

More than anything I'd love to donate all my bits save for vagina to a deserving trans-woman but seeing as how I'm sure that's medically impossible

[Yochanan]

If I was the last person in the world able to carry a child, it wouldn't be any kind of world I'd want to bring a child into... That would be terrible pressure, wouldn't it, on the kid? The Last Hope of Humankind or whatever... Nah. Plus being pregnant is horrible, methinks.

[iFindMeHere]

If I was the last person in the world able to carry a child, it wouldn't be any kind of world I'd want to bring a child into...

Ooohh, good point!

[Lukas-H]

Well you don't necessarily have to be the absolute last person but what if you were one of the last few who were capable? Guess I should have clarified beforehand...

If any of you have seen Children of Men (I haven't) it's set about 20 years into the future and humans have lost the ability to procreate but they find one woman who still is able to become pregnant and needless to say the future of humankind rests on her shoulders.

What if instead it was something like that, where people still exists but you are one of the few that would be able to become pregnant.

[iFindMeHere]

what was the explanation, i mean, was the Earth sick? I wouldn't support bringing a kid into that.

[Yochanan]

I still wouldn't do it. I never planned on kids, not really. If that kind of scenario, like the one in Children of Men, happened, wouldn't the world unite to find some way of artificially creating life? I would adopt a kid made that way, but I would not ever bear a child of my own. This I knew before I even knew I was male.

[Lukas-H]

what was the explanation, i mean, was the Earth sick? I wouldn't support bringing a kid into that.

About the movie you mean? It doesn't say and I haven't seen it so I couldn't tell you.

What if the world wasn't sick though? I guess the topic has more or less evolved into a question of whether or not any of you would bear a child for what some would call 'the greater good'? I guess my question was also spurred by the fact that so many people think that if you are a female-bodied person with working ovaries and uterus, you should have a child because your equipment works, or something like that.

Like Elwood mentioned, Tom Beatie had a child even though he identifies as male. Why he had one, I'm not sure, but that shows that there are some FtM's who are not against using the equipment they were born with for whatever purpose.

Posted on: September 20, 2008, 06:39:27 PM

I still wouldn't do it. I never planned on kids, not really. If that kind of scenario, like the one in Children of Men, happened, wouldn't the world unite to find some way of artificially creating life? I would adopt a kid made that way, but I would not ever bear a child of my own. This I knew before I even knew I was male.

Well the premise of that movie is that some people are trying to help transport this one lone pregnant woman to some sort of sanctuary that has a science lab so that she can be studied to help save mankind. However it's set only 20 years into the future, and I know that scientists right now are working on creating artificial wombs where a fetus can survive outside of the body, I think I read from 3 months on, but I can't be sure.

[J.T.]

What if, hypothetically, there was some sort of widespread world disaster and you were one of the few or the only individual left alive that could carry a child, would you?

Let's say for the sake of discussion that this would all occur from in-vitro fertilization so you don't technically need your ovaries, it wouldn't even be a child bearing your genes, you would just be the vessel for it's growth.

Would you do it?

Nope, I firmly believe one of the reasons I am here on the planet is to NOT procreate.

[Adam]

I decided my answer back when I was a kid. There is no way I'm becoming pregnant. The very idea is just foriegn to me.

[sneakersjay]

Well, I already have 2 kids.  I knew I always had identity issues but could never put my finger on them until this year. So, wanting to be a parent and just dealing with the cards I was dealt, I used the parts.  The only good to ever come from the disastrous and dreaded monthly curse were my 2 kids.

Now that I'm transtioning, no, I couldn't carry kids.  Besides, I'm too old.  And I've had a hysto! 

If I met a partner who wanted kids, I'd be happy to be dad, but  not to carry another baby.

Jay

[milliontoone]

Ewwww,no way could I ever biologically carry a chid. I don't realy know if I ever want children in any capacity to be honest although I sometimes tink in the future it would be nice.  I would adopt though.  I just couldn't even think of getting pregnant. The idea is just completely alien to me.